Charlton have a long tradition of signing academics. Lawrie Madden was one of the most intelligent players of his generation, a fact which allowed us to overlook some of his shortcomings out on the pitch.
"Trevor Brooking has A levels, you know" was one of my Dad's favourite sayings, along with "I taught David Needham."
Intelligence may not go hand in hand with knowledge, or educational qualifications, but they are probably good indicators.
There is a football intelligence which is quite particular. Brings to mind that Shankly saying, 'don't judge a footballer by seeing what he does under pressure, but by the decisions he makes when not under pressure'.
Really do not buy this theory that footballers either need a degree, need to be intelligent, or go to Uni!
I am not sure there is any connection with intelligence or passing the 11 plus except that at the age of 11 you pass an exam based on verbal and non verbal reasoning, maths and English. I failed my 11 plus but went on to get a degree from London University, it never made me kick a football better!. In fact it did the opposite, as I am a creative type, had long hair, and liked rock music!. But I did go to a school that played football, unlike the majority of grammar schools who do not play football in Bexley, such as Chis and Sid and they are all 'egg chasers', despite the lads kicking a football around the playground!. It is the same logic that assumes that if you have a crew cut you must be thick, and like the skinhead culture!.
Posted this in other thread but more relevant here. A modern degree is no mark of intelligence. The number of people i went to university with that could tick the boxes of their coursework requirements and pass a few exams but were ultimately thick as Adele's knicker elastic was unbelievable.
On particular doris i was pals with thought her home town Brum was north of where we were. We were in Liverpool. She got a first.
Many college drop outs like Richard Branson and Bill Gates have more intelligence than your average PHD student and id say nowdays the smart kids are the ones who swerve the further education con trick altogether.
Really do not buy this theory that footballers either need a degree, need to be intelligent, or go to Uni!
I am not sure there is any connection with intelligence or passing the 11 plus except that at the age of 11 you pass an exam based on verbal and non verbal reasoning, maths and English. I failed my 11 plus but went on to get a degree from London University, it never made me kick a football better!. In fact it did the opposite, as I am a creative type, had long hair, and liked rock music!. But I did go to a school that played football, unlike the majority of grammar schools who do not play football in Bexley, such as Chis and Sid and they are all 'egg chasers', despite the lads kicking a football around the playground!. It is the same logic that assumes that if you have a crew cut you must be thick, and like the skinhead culture!.
Of course it is not a pre-requisite but it does seem to me that one of the problems with our culture especially the where the national game is concerned, is the idea that the pursuit of education is something that people who are gifted players, don't need to address. That somehow its is an alternative route to fame and fortune avoiding the need for a rounded education. Why shouldn't footballing role models be both great players and well educated?
Sadly in my view there are major shortfalls in our education system where too much weight is placed upon the passing of exams rather than providing an educational framework for children through to adulthood that actually equips them for life in the outside world.
The lessons highlighted in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" and "Dead Poets Society" have never properly been addressed. Education is about leading out what is inside a person, not feeding in loads of useless facts that don't actually assist them to think for themselves.
Ho hum, t'was ever thus!
If we got our educational priorities right, then maybe we will see young men pursuing a dual track of education and football.
If you take creativity, you cannot teach this!, you can teach skills, and create an enviroment for innovation.
Yes you can teach colour theory and show people how to work in a variety of mediums, but what they reproduce is often a copy of a style, that some one else has devised. Creative people do things outside the 'box' they are original, or have original aspects to there work, or thinking.
Just being original is not the only aspect of being creative, but how you communicate your creative interpretations, wether it be in the visual, or in another creative field.
Football has a high degree of skill, but the most gifted players have an ability to create both something unique and highly skillfull.
George Best is a good example in football.
Of course this is only a theory, which is where I fell down! art school, women, and a lack of discipline did not help.......
But a man cannot be good at everything!.......... some of of us struggle to be good at anything!
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Comments
"Trevor Brooking has A levels, you know" was one of my Dad's favourite sayings, along with "I taught David Needham."
Football is a team game so individuals need the ability (intelligence) to take and interpret instructions so that the team functions to its potential.
Intelligence may not go hand in hand with knowledge, or educational qualifications, but they are probably good indicators.
There is a football intelligence which is quite particular. Brings to mind that Shankly saying, 'don't judge a footballer by seeing what he does under pressure, but by the decisions he makes when not under pressure'.
Posted this in other thread but more relevant here. A modern degree is no mark of intelligence. The number of people i went to university with that could tick the boxes of their coursework requirements and pass a few exams but were ultimately thick as Adele's knicker elastic was unbelievable.
On particular doris i was pals with thought her home town Brum was north of where we were. We were in Liverpool. She got a first.
Many college drop outs like Richard Branson and Bill Gates have more intelligence than your average PHD student and id say nowdays the smart kids are the ones who swerve the further education con trick altogether.